Show A SACRED CHOLERA WELL attention was ballel some time ago by the NEWS to the fact that the year ly pilgrimages of edans to mecca undoubtedly have something to do with the periodically appearing cholera epidemics io in europe and that precautions might be taken in ID the very center or of mohammedanism to prevent it from being a hotbed of bf disease one of the duties of the devotees is to drink the water of the well Z m zein supposed to he the il spring from which hagar quenched tier thirst the pilgrims ascribe to the contents of this well may many peon liar virtues and regard it much as aa the catholics do certain holy places in palestine travelers dei describe cribe the water as cavit g a bad taste and being cathartic in its effects M mr r E frankland writing to the london times says he be has hag recently analyzer it suit and that the sample of wa water ter that came to him through the india office afas full of dead microbes mic robes and contained in an equal volume considerably more animal matter than is fou found ad in average london sewage in 16 addition it afforded evidence 0 previous pollution with an amount of such matter mattar at least six times as aa great as aa that contained in an equal volume of average london sewage the water hafa ban been again quite recently analyzed by colonel Boti fiolkowski kowski bey con consulting suiting chemist to his majesty the sultan of turkey tukey his results confirm mr frankank Fran Frank kand lands analysis they show that the water is still abominably polluted by matters the surroundings of this well are ouch as as would be likely to impart to the water chope dangerous ingredients mecca appere appe re to have no sewerage system all foul matters being buried j n the earth within or near the eity city beuce H nce the foulness of the water percolating into the well through this mass of 0 corruption colonel bonkowski bey is ia one authority that mecca to ie supplied with water of excellent quality but of course the pilgrims are bound to drink at the holy well tons tens nf f thousands of pilgrims continue to lie of cholera at mecca and to spread the disease elsewhere i 1 ut so far as ag is no measures have been taken to iu prevent pollution iun and mecca con COD I 1 finues to be a cholera center |